A Dream By Any Other Name
by AnnaRedhue
Summary: How do I get myself into these messes! How indeed. Meet Rayne McGregre, exchange student to Tokyo University and dimension jumper? Take one girl from Ireland and mix her in with half demons and feudal japan and what do you get? One big mess thats what.
1. R McGregre

**Chapter 1 - R. McGregre**

"What I really meant to say  
Is I'm sorry for the way I am  
I never meant to be so cold

Yeah What I really meant to say  
Is I'm sorry for the way I am  
I never meant to be so cold "

The pencil stilled over the sketch pad as a dark head turned slightly, tilting to better hear the melodious voice moving through the otherwise still loft. The large figure of a young man no more then twenty-seven leaned back in the computer chair in front of his work station, dark brown eyes staring up at the various pictures of monsters, knights, and gorgeous women as he listened. A light smile lifted one side of Brent Hamato's mouth as his large arms lifted slowly, his fingers lacing behind his head. Despite not being able to hear it, no doubt due to her headphones, the owner of that voice hit every note perfectly, adding that to the symphony of emotions behind each sound and it was unbelievably lovely. _'Like the owner,_' Brent thought, his half smile turning to a full out grin at the thought of the fiery redhead that had recently become his roommate.

He had been standing out in the courtyard at school talking to Edo and Togashi. "Yeah so the dean wants me to take this new exchange student as a roommate.. you know, show him around, keep him out of trouble, that kinda thing."

Edo snorted a bit, laughing, "You?! Keep someone out of trouble? That'll be the day."

Togashi grinned and laughed along with Edo, "Yeah really, Hamato, you have a hard enough time just keeping yourself out of trouble. So who is the new kid and where do we send the remains?"

Brent just rolled his eyes but smiled just the same, "I dont know, some kid named R. McGregre from somewhere in Ireland I think."

The other two just kinda laughed at him and from there the coversation turned to the recent kendo match. They had just gotten into a heated discussion of the brilliance of Takeno versus the equally talented moves of Naguchi when a shrill cry followed by a resounding crash had reached their ears making all three turn. There, not more then ten feet from them, with butt sticking up in the air, was a girl with the reddest hair Brent had ever seen flat on her face. A quick glance up told him she had likely tripped on the steps coming out of the school to the courtyard.

After staring only a moment in stunned shock, Edo and Togashi immidiately started to howl with laughter, earning them a disgusted look from Brent who simply muttered "Grow up." before making his way towards the girl, who still hadn't moved from where she had fallen. When Brent nearly reached her and she still hadnt so much as twitched he knew something was terribly wrong.

Brent frowned to himself as he remembered touching her shoulder only to feel it shaking under his hand. He had been so sure that the sounds he finally heard were supressed sobs he wanted nothing more then to throttle Edo and Togashi for being so callous, he was so very sure that when she finally lifted her head and he saw her bright green eyes, the color of yoshino leaves, he was rooted in place in pure shock. Even now the shock still shook him a little. She had been laughing!

He had asked if she was alright, unable to stop the slight grin as she laughed a little more and said she was fine. He could still feel the slight daze, even now. Her eyes were a bright and wild array of greens, crinkled at the corners by her laughter; her skin was so pale and soft looking, the color of one of Kamiko's kimonos. Her hair, in contrast, was dark like blood, thick, flowing about her pale skin in a wild mass of curls, and her lips were the color of cherry blossoms, perfectly shapes in a way that boasted innocence and yet screamed for a man to kiss them passionately.

Brent couldnt stop the chuckle as he remembered a hand passing in front of his face as a musical voice said almost indignantly, "Hey anyone still at home?"

He had blinked at her a bit and said, "Sorry.. I was.. umm.. nevermind.. I'm Brent by the way. Are you sure you are alright?"

That made her laugh again and she lifted herself up to sit on her legs, grinning at him and holding her hand up in the universal thumbs-up before taking his hand and shaking it, "Nice to meet you, Brent. I'm Rayne.. Rayne McGregre."

Brent was startled out of his revean by the sound of his musings bounding down the hallway. He turned in time to see Rayne fly by his open doorway in a pair of black socks, green shorts, and a black t-shirt, her unruly mass of curls bound into a ponytail at the back of her head. At five foot four inches she barely topped his shoulder but despite that the little spitfire had no qualms about putting him in his place. The thought made him grin again, and he was still grinning when Rayne poked her head into his workroom.

Rayne noticed the door was still open to Brent's work room on her way to the kitchen and doubled back, she was just about to shut it when she noticed he was sitting in the chair watching her, grinning from ear to ear about something. She froze for a moment and just stood there struck by how **good** he looked. Then she shook herself mentally and walked right up to stand in front of him, hands on her hips going for her best annoyed little sister look. "And just what are you grinning at?"

Brent blinked a little and then shrugged still smiling, "Oh nothing, just thinking a little..."

"Yeah? Well you better knock it off, I think I see smoke."

Brent rolled his eyes as he laughed a little then he grinned again as he said, "By the way, I am going to a party tonight, you wanna go?"

Rayne froze for a moment and then smiled as she shook her head, "Nah, but thanks for asking. I'm just gonna stay here tonight and watch the Inuyasha marathon." She sighed a little at the disappointment on his face, "Sorry, Brent, I'm just... I just dont feel up to it ya know."

"Yeah it's cool, I understand. I dont suppose I would either. But, Rayne, you cant stay cooped up forever you know," Brrent said as he looked up at her, and instantly regretted his words, the sadness and hurt in her eyes hitting him like a punch in the gut. "Rayne... I'm sorry... I didnt mean..."

She smiled a little and shook her head, putting a finger to his lips. "No, dont be. You're right. I'm just... not quite ready yet."

"I know... I'm real sorry." He shifted uncomfortably a moment before putting on a slight smile, "But hey, I have to get going if I dont wanna be late." He set his hands on her hips, moving her slightly as he stood up, but he was suddenly struck by how small she really was, especially when she was standing there looking so sad and alone... haunted... like she had the night he had found her just outside the loft... cut up, bruised, someone else's blood on her as well... Brent dropped his hands from her hips as he shook himself, stepping back from her slowly. He started to turn and walk away when an idea struck and brightened him. He looked back at her with a grin, "Hey, why dont you watch your show in the main room on my entertainment center?"

She blinked up at him, "Really? You dont mind?"

"Yeah sure why not, not like I'm going to be using it tonight right? Knock yourself out, kiddo."

Rayne winced a little at the nickname but didnt complain, afterall he was letting her use his things, besides it was better this way. "Thanks, Brent, you're a real pal."

For some reason her calling him a pal made Brent cringe, but satisfied he had made amends Bent snatched up his jacket and was headed for the stairs that led to the street, giving her a slight wave as he called out on the way down, "Just dont blow the speakers, huh?" He laughed a little when she shouted something that sounded suspciously like "Bite ME!" Yeah she would be alright.

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About an hour after Brent had left, once she had figured out how to work everything, Rayne found herself curled up on a large red cushion chair in the living room, her attention focused on the big screen TV as a boy in a red kimono with long white hair and dog ears swung a massive sword, yelling "DIE!", at a second figure in a white kimono and a steel chest plate, with very aristocractic features, long white hair, pointed ears and purple marks across his cheeks and around his wrist. The two looked very different and yet there was an unmistakable resemblence between the two of them making anyone who didnt know the show wonder why family were trying to kill each other. The taller figure in white had just made to retaliate when the first crash of thunder shook the loft, making Rayne jump.

"Oh great..." she muttered, but as she looked at the screen again she noticed it had cut to commercial. "Cool, if I hurry I can make to my room for it starts up again." With tht she jumped up, switching off the TV, and then unplugged all of Brent's high-tech toys before heading back down the hall to her room, sliding the shoji screen shut behind her. She had just switched on the TV when another round of thunder and lightning, louder then the first, shook the house making her jump again, which unfortunately caused her to trip over her sneakers and every other thing strung about her room. Rayne had just enough time to register a bright flash of light she recognized as the Wind Scar from the Tetsuaiga, Inuyasha's sword, before she hit the ground hard enough to bounce and fly back further till she connected with something unmoveable, cracking her skull hard, then her world went black.


	2. Introductions Not Necessary

**Chapter 2 - Introductions Not Necessary**

"What do you mean 'What's my problem'?! Was I the only one there?! She came outta no where and I damn near sliced her in half!!"

"Inuyasha, will you calm down please..."

"Yeah, Inuyasha, you're scaring the locals!"

"I'll show you 'scaring the locals' you little hairball!"

"KA-GO-MEEEEE!!!"

Rayne groaned softly at the sound of raised voices around her, shifting on her blankets as she reached out her hand to shut off her TV just as a voice cried out, "Inuyasha! SIT BOY!!" She jerked into full awareness when she not only heard the loud thud of her favorite hanyou hitting the ground, she felt it as well, looking around her in panic as she realized this wasnt her room in Brent's loft but a very familiar little hut.

_No! It cant be! There is no way this is..._

"Now look what you've done. All this rucus has awoken our very lovely guest."

Rayne stiffened as she recognized the voice just behind her shoulder and leaped to her feet as a hand rested itself on the swell of her bottom, spinning and swinging her hand before she could think better of it, gasping at not only the sting of the connection but at the sight in front of her. Her right hand was firmly planted against the cheek of a very handsome young man with black hair, doe brown eyes and dressed in the blue and black robes of a buddist monk, his right hand wrapped in a sheath and prayer beads.

_Oh this cannot be happening!!_

"Miroku, would you give it a rest already?! You are such a pervert!!"

Rayne lifted her eyes at the voice and gasped again as she locked eyes with a young woman with black hair pulled up into a high ponytail, reddish brown eyes accented by the light dab of color above them, and wearing a black battle suit that had red and bone armor in various places. A small tan and black cat with two tails sat at her feet looking up at Rayne curiously.

_oh man oh man oh man..._

Rayne felt herself start to tremble as she finally lifted her eyes from the cat to take in the rest of the occupants, all of whom were staring at her curiously. A young woman with dark hair, dark blue eyes, and what look like a high school girl's uniform stood next to an old woman with grey hair and an eye patch dressed in a miko's robes. At the girl's feet was what looked like a little boy with bright red hair and green eyes, the only thing to dispell this was the fox feet he was standing on, his pointed ears, and the very bushy tail just behind him that was twitching slightly.

A loud growl brought Rayne's eyes to a red clad figure on the floor just a couple feet from her, the struggling figure held down by nothing but the glowing necklace about his neck. The loud growls ceased as his moon yellow eyes lifted to hers at the feel of her pursual, the dog ears on top of his silken looking white hair twitching a little as his cheeks colored a bit. Rayne blinked a couple times as she looked into his eyes, her lips parting, a thred of sound, caught only by the hanyou and the kitsune, slipping from her lips just as her eyes rolled back into her head and she dropped in a dead faint.

Inuyasha saw what was going to happen from the terrified, then glazed, look in the girl's eyes and forcefully pushed himself off the ground, catching her against his chest as she dropped, her dark hair spilling over his arm in a wave of blood. He wasnt on his feet more then a second when he gasped and twisted in mid air as the spell yanked him off his feet again, crying out as he hit the ground harder then before on his back, the girl craddled on top of his chest.

Kagome stood frozen in place as she realized what had just happened, but it was Miroku who put voice to her thoughts.

"Amazing, Inuyasha, you threw off the subjigation spell long enough to help her... Inuyasha?" Miroku's brow creased in a frown as he stood up slowly and walked over to his hanyou friend only to stop dead in shock. "The spell knocked him out cold..."

Kagome blinked at Miroku in confusion and walked over to his side, "It did what?"

Sango, Kirara, and Shippou joined her as Miroku moved over to Inuyasha's side, resting a hand on his shoulder and giving it a slight shake, "Inuyasha, wake up... please..." At first there was nothing and then a small moan drew Miroku's attention to the girl in his friend's arms just as Inuyasha growled a little, coming around, grunting as he sat up slowly. Miroku jumped up and backed away as he saw the girl's shoulder's stiffen in alarm. "Inuyasha... I would put her down..."

Inuyasha gave the houshi a confused look before he finally seemed to realize the girl in his arms wasnt Kagome, blinking down at the shaking form in his arms. _Utoh_... He barely had time to open his mouth to reassure her when the girl let out a ear piercing, literally, shriek of fright and leaped up off his lap, stumbling over the little kitsune who ducked to avoid her, and planted herself against the wall looking at them all in wide-eyed terror.

"W-W-WHERE... W-W-WHO... H-H-HOW... WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!?!!?!?"

She blinked and stared at all of them in turn, coming to rest on the baffled hanyou last, owl-eyed for a full ten seconds before her eyes rolled up into her head again and she dropped to the floor, hitting with a resounding thud.

"Wow, Inuyasha..." Miroku said, thoughtfully, "either you are more of a ladies' man then I thought..." The monk turned to look at his dog-eared friend before adding, with a grin, "Or she really hates dogs..."

Everyone else groaned as the now incensed hanyou leapt up and knocked the monk out with one well placed strike to his head, the little kitsune remarking with a sigh, "Idiot..."

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Miles away, as Inuyasha and his friends continued to argue about the strange girl a tall man with long icy white hair, very aristocratic features that offset his deadly demeanor, his gold eyes glaring at the world alround him malevolently as he stalked into the clearing where a small girl in a bright yellow and orange kimono was picking flowers not too far from a large two headed dragon and a short, green, toad like being. Upon his arrival the little girl immediately dropped all the flowers she held in her hands and ran to his side with a cry of "Lord Sesshomaru! Rin missed you!!" wrapping her small arms around his leg and hugging him tightly.

As angry as Sesshomaru was at the interference in his fight with his half-brother, the feel of that warm little body hugging onto his leg as though he were the only person in the world made him smile slightly. Rin, the little girl who tried to care for him when he was injured, the child he saved from death when her village was attacked by wolves, a child who was more like his own pup then some human he had felt bad for, she could always make him smile no matter how vexed he was. Her simple gestures of affection were coming to mean more to him then even his title and all the lands of the West, nevermind his great pride.

Sesshomaru sighed as his hand rested on the child's raven locks, seemingly without even noticing the gesture. "Return to your flowers, Rin." He looked down to see her radiant smile as she nodded her head respectfully before bounding away to play in the pile of flowers his arrival had caused. Deprived once more of her warmth, Sesshormaru's mind returned to the fight and the strange light just before that woman with the blood red hair fell in his brother's line of fire. Just who the hell was she, where did she come from, and why did the whole thing leave a sour taste in his mouth?

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Rayne opened her eyes slowly, letting out a sigh of relief when no anime characters popped out in front of her, or groped her from behind for that matter. It seemed dark where she was laying so she assumed it was still late, shuffling around slightly on her sleeping mat with a little sigh that froze in her lungs at the familiar voice next to her.

"Oh, ye are awake child. How do ye feel now?"

Shivering like she was trapped in an artic cave Rayne turned slightly, bolting upright as her eyes landed on the old woman with a patch over one eye dressed in the red and white kimono of a priestess. "Oh man..."

"Beg ye pardon, child, but I be a woman. And who be ye, if I may ask." Kaede eyed the girl from her one good eye, taking in her slightly rounded eyes the color of leaves, her blood red hair spilling well past her shoulders and even her backside in waves of curls, to her clear porceline skin, and back to her eyes. "I am Kaede, priestess of this village. Who be ye?"

Rayne gulped air down her very dry throat for a moment, blinking at the old woman for a full ten seconds before she finally got her throat to work again. "Ray... ahem... My name is Rayne. Now don't take this wrong but.. where the hell am I?"

Kaede was just about to open her mouth, presumably to answer her, when the cloth flap of her hut was brushed aside, letting in the cool night air along with the chatter of several voices, all of whom stopped as they entered the hut to see the girl wide awake once more. The hanyou ducked his head immediately, to protect his senstive ears mind you, and slunk away from the rest of them to lurk in the corner of the hut, followed by the kitsune who was less discreately trying to hide his little ears under his hands, lest the woman shriek again. The slayer and the monk moved into the hut closer to Kaede, both eyeing the girl with open curiousity.

Rayne's gaze shifted back to the doorway when she noticed one body missing and found Kagome standing there in the door way, her head cocked to one side, just kind of staring at her in a mix of disbelief, curiousity, and flat out awe. Before she could think better of it she opened her trap, "You know I dont bite, Kagome..." _Oh stupid... stupid... stupid..._

Kagome blinked at that and come further into the room, letting the flap drop closed, "How do you know my name?"

The first thing that ran through Rayne's mind was simply _You're an anime character, everyone knows who you are, and this is a dream I would really really like to wake up from now so if you'll excuse me..._ But somehow it just didn't seem like a good idea. Besides, something about this whole thing just didnt seem very dream-like, like the fact she had three bruises on her from fainting, or the fact that she hadnt woken up back in her room any of the times she had lost it, or how about the fact that shit like this just tended to happen to her. Well, ok. Maybe not this extreme.

Rayne was brought out of her own head at the feel of everyone staring at her. "Oh well... umm... I heard the kid shouting Kagome and then I heard your voice so I figured you were Kagome. Was I wrong?"

"Impressive," Miroku's voice sounded a bit to close for her and turning her head she saw the monk directly beside her and had to check the urge to shoot to her feet and run away from him. "You managed to retain that information despite your agrieved state. Truly remarkable."

"Monk... if you dont wanna loose that hand I suggest you back it up nice and slow and move away and back to your slayer."

Miroku just kind of gaped at her and did indeed move his hand away from her and scoot back towards Sango who was also just kind of staring at Rayne like fish out of water, but was also trying very hard not tro bust up laughing. Inuyasha, for all his fear of setting her off again, had a very shit-eating-grin on his face and the little kitsune at his feet had moved his hands to his mouth to stiffle the giggles. Kagome for her part was half astonished, half laughing at the poor monk who was staring at the girl like a hydra about to devour him.

Rayne glanced away from the couple, fighting the grin on her own face, and moved her eyes around the room to rest on the two demons in the corner. "I already said I dont bite you two. And I promise not to freak again. I think I'm well past the freaking out point." The little kitsune tilted his head at her before bounding over, his curiousity getting the better of him. He backpeddled a bit when she reached down and plucked him the ground like an infant, craddling him in her arms with a big grin. "Man you really are cute," she said with a laugh, holding the little boy in her arms till he gave her a small grin. She actually laughed a bit and then turned her head with a decidedly evil little grin and patted her leg while looking at Inuyasha, "Come on, boy, come here."

It had the desired effect. Inuyasha was up instantly and growling, across the room before anyone could blink, and right in the girl's face. Shippou scurried out of her arms to hide behind her at the sight of the angry hanyou, but Rayne just kinda blinked up at him, resisting the urge to smile, and reached up tweaking his puppy like ears, then dropped her hands with a slow grin, "Good boy." She nearly lost it at the indignant and sputtering look on his face as he pulled back from her, crossed his arms over his chest, and mummbled some nonsense about "human women and his damned ears."


	3. Old Enemies, A New Menace

Chapter 3 – Old Enemies, A New Menace

Hundreds of miles north of the little hut by the well a dark figure sat on the floor, his back against the shoji screen glaring into the murky recesses of the room. He was a beautiful man with flowing black hair, deep red eyes and skin like porcelain; his long tapered fingers ending in fine points that looked almost feminine; and his strong body, thin but muscular, was wrapped in a kimono of the finest silk, a white baboon skin laying across his lap. Yes, Naraku, was a very beautiful man, but then again so was the devil, and this man was just as evil as he was beautiful. Even then he sat staring hard at the wall contemplating the newest form of torture to inflict upon his adversaries and their new friend. Yes, the new friend, Naraku's reason for contemplation at the moment.

Only moments ago samiyosho appeared to him with news of a fight between the Inu brothers that was interrupted by the arrival of a girl who was not the miko. According to the insects this girl appeared with a crack of lightning and was nearly sliced in half by the Wind Scar, and if what the samiyosho said were true it would appear the woman was a foreigner.

_What are you up to now, Inuyasha? And who is your new little friend…_

Naraku's eyes suddenly sharpened as a movement in the corner of the room brought him out of his musings. Something was in his room. With lightning fast speed Naraku let loose two of his tentacles towards the corner, growling in annoyance when all he hit was the wall, smashing the boards and splintering the beams underneath.

"Alright whoever you are… show yourself! I am in no mood for games."

Naraku stiffened as he sensed movement just beside him. He turned his head in time to see a figure that looked like a man breathed from shadow step away from the wall and then vanish again. He stared at the spot for a full moment before he threw back his head and laughed, a deep merciless sound, cruel and completely without humor.

"Alright Mr. Shadow… come out… Or do I have to tear this castle down around you?"

Naraku looked around the room slowly, waiting. He was about to stand when he felt it, the kiss of a razor sharp blade at his neck pressing just hard enough to draw a thin line of blood on his alabaster skin.

"Your threats mean little to me, hanyou," a voice hissed in his ear. Naraku felt the slip and kiss of a fabric against his skin. "You couldn't touch me even if you did tear this place down… whereas I am in a prime place to slit your lily white neck and be done with it."

Naraku felt a thrill of fear slither down his spine as the stranger held the blade there a moment longer to make his point and then lifted it away, his presence vanishing from behind Naraku allowing the demon to once more lean against the shoji. When Naraku looked up in front of him he found the man crouched there staring at him with the deepest violet eyes he had ever seen. The man was dressed from head to foot in black, looking every bit the ninja warrior; the little bit of face that the mask allowed to show was a dark tan color.

"Now then I have a proposal for you… A way for both of us to get what we want…"

"And what makes you think you know what I want?"

The man appeared not to move, but something in his voice told Naraku he was smiling. "You want the Inu brother's dead… the monk, the kitsune, the slayer… all of them dead… and the miko who can see the shards for yourself… right? All I want in exchange is their new little friend."

"How is it that you know all of this, are powerful enough to subdue me… but here you are asking for my help?"

The man actually did laugh this time, threw back his head and laughed. "Simple... they are used to you coming after them."

"So you wish me to serve as a distraction…" Naraku narrowed his eyes at the prospect of taking orders from some two-bit ninja.

"My you are a quick one aren't you? Yes I want you to attack them. Distract them… and when they least expect it I'll be there… ready to strike…"

"How can you be so sure they will fall for it? Every plan I have set for them they have smelled from a mile away…"

"Oh trust me… They'll never see this one coming…"

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. My muse is on sabbatical at the moment so I am just trying to fill in while she is away. Anyways, join me for the next chapter! Battery From Above and Below!


	4. Battle Ready

Chapter 4 – Battery from Above and Below

Chapter 4 – Battle Ready

Brent stumbled down the sidewalk heading towards his loft and his nice warm bed. Ideas were running in his head about Rayne possibly joining him in that bed and making it even warmer. _Yeah right_, Brent laughed to himself and was still laughing as he opened the door to the loft and made his way up the steps. The first thing to catch his attention was the silence of the place; it was way too quiet in there. The next thing, which actually sobered him up, was the shattered shoji screen in splinters in the hallway. Without thinking of anything but Rayne Brent ran to the doorway crunching the small door even further and nearly dropping to his knees at the site of the room.

The room looked like a tornado had come through. Everything from the TV to the pictures on the walls was demolished. The floor looked like a dragon had come tearing through, with four long and wide trenches dug through the wood. The odd part about them was they seemed to be originating from where the TV was once standing. But there was no Rayne. She was just… gone…

--

"…and that is all I remember really… next thing I knew I was here."

Inuyasha and his tachi stared at the strange girl and her even stranger story. It made no sense honestly. Kagome traveled through a well. How could this girl just appear from nowhere and not know any magic at all.

"Could someone have cast a spell on ye young woman?" Kaede asked from her spot near the fire. She knew this woman wan not telling them everything but she also believed there was a good reason for this.

"I don't know anyone who is into that kinda thing, but anything is possible I suppose. But why me?" _And why here of all the freakin places._ Rayne was very confused and it was seriously starting to piss her off.

"Could you have angered a priest or priestess I wonder…" Miroku asked politely, keeping his distance from the strange girl, not wanting a matching mark on the other side of his face. "They would certainly have the power to do something like this…"

"I'm new to Japan. I don't know enough people to have offended anyone. Maybe its just because I am gaijin."

"A real priestess would never do something like this without a very good reason," Kagome said vehemently, "and that you would even think something like that as a monk, Miroku, is just terrible. Not all priestesses are like Subaki you know."

"Lady Kagome, please forgive me. I did not mean it like that."

"Quiet, both of you!" Everyone turned in surprise to Rayne, but she was not looking at him or her. She was instead staring at Inuyasha, who in turn was staring out the door and had gone stock-still. "Inuyasha…"

"Naraku…" With a snarl Inuyasha leapt out the doorway, unaware the others leapt up after him, following him. _I smell Kikyou as well. It can't be!_

No one saw the black figure in the trees, no one saw the smile on his face, and no one saw him vanish from place.

--

Some thirty miles to the west Lord Sesshomaru and his tachi were headed back to the Western Lands when he stopped suddenly, spinning on his heel to glare behind him in the same direction as Inuyasha's Forrest.

"Naraku…" The word was a growl from the elegant throat, the unique golden eyes bleeding red, "Have you finally come out of hiding to face my sword, Naraku…" Without a word to either Jaken or Rin, Sesshomaru started back the other direction with purpose in his step and death in his eyes.

"My Lord…" the little toad squeaked questioningly but stopped when he saw the look on his Lord and master's face. Lord Sesshomaru was out for blood and Jaken was determined it would not be his. So with a sigh Jaken pulled the two-headed dragon Ah-Un back after his Lord and followed him back the way they had just come.

"Master Jaken, why did Lord Sesshomaru turn around?"

For once Jaken did not snap at the girl, but simply followed after his lord. This scared Rin more then anything. Somehow the girl knew, she just knew that something would end today, but what she did not know.

--

"The samiyosho say that they are coming, my lord." The new wind witch, Kabana, knelt before Naraku and Hakudoshi. "Both Inu brothers and their tachi are coming this direction." Kabana looked just like Kagura, down to the feather in her hair and her blood red eyes. But these eyes had no life to them, just a void of selfless servitude and empty loyalty. Kagura had met her end just like Kanna at Naraku's hands.

The child with silver hair looked down at the new incarnation with something akin to disgust. "Fine, be gone from us then." When the new incarnations had left the clearing Hakudoshi looked to Naraku. "Why weaken yourself by creating the same incarnation over again but with no life to it."

"You are easily fooled if you think that was the same incarnation as before."

Hakudoshi lifted a brow at Naraku. "Come again…"

"Kabana is much stronger then Kagura ever was, and I control her completely. With no life and no will to escape all the power of the wind is at my command." Naraku nodding in the direction that the other two incarnations left in. "Even they are stronger then before, and I still have energy to burn. I plan to make this a battle that the Inu-Tachi shall never forget."

"NARAKU!!"

Naraku looked up as Inuyasha exploded into the clearing from the trees, his large demon sword drawn and ready.

"Naraku!!"

Both Naraku and Inuyasha looked up as Sesshomaru appeared from the trees, drawing his sword as he stepped into the clearing. From behind Inuyasha there was a rustle and the trees parted to admit Kagome and the rest of the Inu-Tachi including Rayne.

"It's over Naraku!" Kagome shouted as she drew an arrow tight and aimed it at Naraku and Hakudoshi.


	5. Battery from Above and Below

Chapter 5 – Battery from Above and Below

"It's over Naraku!" Kagome shouted as she drew an arrow tight, took aim and let it loose. The pink glow of the priestess turned to a dark blue as the arrow streak towards Hakudoshi… only to explode on impact inches from him.

When the dust had settled Hakudoshi and Naraku stood still and whole inside a barrier that glowed a sinister red. "You truly are a slow learner miko. Incarnations! Slaughter them!"

Inuyasha and his tachi stared in disbelief as several figures appeared from nowhere. There was Kabana the new wind witch, a man who looked just like Bankotsu but with no life to his dark eyes and no halberd instead wielding two smaller swords, a giant of sorts that looked much like Goshinki but with red skin, a dark figure with the robes of a priestess and the dark hair of Kikyo, and finally a small child like form that looked exactly like Hakudoshi.

All the combatants stared at one another for what seemed like eternity. Sesshomaru, getting impatient for once, was the first to move, lashing out with his poison whips towards the group of incarnations and connecting with the remake of Kikyo. Her head snapped to the side with a sickening crack and remained that way for a moment. Suddenly, even as his whips started to recede, her hand snatched the end of one of them up, effectively tying the taiyoukai to her as she turned to give him a macabre smile.

Within seconds the small clearing erupted into a flurry of movement as the incarnations split themselves off, taking on the members of the tachi. The form of Kikyou moved to take on Sesshomaru who was only too happy to try and tear the dead priestess' head off once more.

"Sesshomaru!!" Inuyasha shouted his half brother's name as he fought against the woman who looked so much like the one he once loved. But she is dead… get that through your head or you might end up getting someone killed…Inuyasha was still fighting the urge to go after them when a sudden blast tore up the ground just in front of him.

"Worry about your own head half demon!!" The Bankotsu look alike came after Inuyasha, swinging those swords at him with lightning fast precision. "I am Narada! Know the name of your death! Now DIE HALF DEMON!" Narada swung his swords again and again the ground just in front of Inuyasha's feet exploded upwards in a fountain of power and soil. For a moment it almost seemed like the explosion was designed to block the power coming from those swords but before Inuyasha could contemplate it further Narada burst through the shooting soil and swung at him forcing Inuyasha to bring his own sword up in defense.

Miroku was about to rush to his friend's side when a sudden whirlwind of power cut off his path and sliced into his skin like blades from a knife. He looked up only to come face to face with the lifeless eyes of Kabana, her voice as deadpan as her eyes as she let loose on him again. "Dance of the Dragon!" The whirlwinds tunneled towards the houshi at an alarming rate and combined into one large swirling vortex of death inches from his face.

"Wind Tunnel!" Miroku unsheathed his curse right hand at the last possible second, his own curse vortex of infinite nothingness sucking up the whirlwind in front of him and nearly catching the witch in the process. Instead the wind witch waved her fan and samiyosho appeared from nowhere, getting sucked towards the vortex. Miroku quickly covered his tunnel to stop from sucking in the poisonous insects and brought up his staff deflecting the bugs with a quick slash.

"Miroku!!"

"Worry about yourself little girl…"

Sango stopped mid step and turned just in time to avoid a blow from the red Goshinki, his black claws glancing off the armor on her shoulder hard enough to send her to her knees. She quickly brought up her boomerang to deflect a second blow from the powerful demon, only to find herself flat on her back from the sheer force of the blow, her hiraikotsu cracking across the center. She stared in terror over the rim of the large weapon as the giant demon pulled back for a blow that would sure shatter both the weapon and her arms.

"FOX FIRE!"

Sango thought it was her imagination or surely another kitsune as the power that rushed of Goshinki was not Shippo's blue child's fire but the full power of a fully grown fox demon, glowing a bright orange like a real flame as is seared over the demon's back, sending him roaring in pain and stumbling away from Sango. As she sat up she caught a flash of fur and looked over to see what looked like a larger version of Shippo wailing on Goshinki like there was no tomorrow, landing blow after blow on the large demon.

Kagome, who had seen the transformation from where she was standing, just stared openly in shock as little Shippo was suddenly not so little any more. She was still staring when a blast suddenly broke the ground in front of her feet, erupting in a gushier of rock and soil, raining over her head. When the mess cleared there was Hakudoshi's twin smiling at her in an evil parody of a grin.

"Hello, Kagome, pleased to finally meet you. I am Akago and I am here to kill you."

Kagome gasped as a large ball of pure malevolent energy formed in the hands of the "child" in front of her. As he threw the ball at her like a fast ball all Kagome could do was throw up her hands and hope that her miko powers were enough to shield her from the blast, a blast that never came. Confusion set in as she opened her eyes to yet another shock. There in front of her was Rayne going toe to toe, power for power, with Akago. When the child would try and blast her it would explode just inches from her body like there was some sort of invisible barrier around her form. Rayne would constantly fire back at her opponent, scoring hit after hit on Akago, her power a bright white light.

* * *

High above them all where none could see a form in black watched the unfolding battle with a grin lighting his dark face, his violet eyes shimmering in lust as he watched the red head go toe to toe with the demon child.

_That's it little wonder... show these fools just what you can do... Soon it will be my time..._

* * *

Rayne felt the eyes on her but ignored the sensation, instead letting out a hiss of pain as her barrier finally buckled enough under the constant assult of Akago, letting through one blast that glanced off her shoulder. She didnt stop to think how she knew she could do these things, she simply reacted following her instincts, and her instincts said to hold out her hands in front of her as a second blast moved through her barrier, weaving a complicated pattern with her fingers for a second, stopping the blast just in front of her as it hit an invisible net of power. Kagome simply stood behind the battling Rayne and stared in complete shock. With her instinct alone the girl had more control over an unknown power then Kagome had with all her trainning over the last two years.

A few feet to her left there was another cry of "Dance of the Dragon!" as Miroku continued his battle with the wind witch, using his wind tunnel to suck up the swirling vortexes of death and trying to catch the witch herself in them as well without catching any of the deadly insects floating around. Not an easy task to say the very least. Several of the poisonous creatures lay in pieces at his feet as he continued to use his staff and sutras to dispatch the flying pests. But even with the help of his holy powers Miroku was getting no where fast.

A few feet further away from them the newly transformed Shippo was finally getting the upper hand on the Goshinki look alike. In his newly grown state Shippo was finally able to take on the nine tails form of the Kitsune, transforming into a giant fox with cream colored fur and black markings, nine long tails flowing behind him as he let out a growling roar before leaping at the now much smaller Goshinki nearly smashing him under the large paws much the same way Goshinki nearly smashed Sango, Shippo's large claws cutting long gashes down the demon's chest nearly splitting him into four seprate pieces, knocking him to his back on the ground. Shippo wasted no time playing with his prey and instead lept at the demon again, before he could regain his footing after that last hard blow, his giant black claws hitting the demon quare in the chest in a spray of blood, shredding his torso into several pieces and decapitating the demon, killing him in the same manner the transformed Inuyasha did so many months ago.

Sango herself just stared at the transformed Shippo in the closest thing to fear she had ever felt in her life. She stared for what felt like eternity as her friend, her little child like friend, turned to her with eyes of blood red and growled loudly. Sango dropped back a couple steps from the giant kitsune youkai before she noticed it, the kitsune that used to be her friend wasnt looking at her at all but rather over her shoulder. She turned then to see what he was looking at, her breath catching in her throat at the sight of Miroku and Kabanna locked in a battle of wills. Kabanna was apparently out of samiyosho as she was simply using her Dance of the Dragon and Dance of Blades to fight the slowly wearing down Miroku. At the sight of the man she loved getting cut once more by a blade he missed Sango's fear gave way to anger.

"Miroku!! Duck!"

The houshi turned just in time to see the woman he loved swing her large boomerang over her head and then turned back to the fight at hand. As he did everything seemed to move in slow motion. The blade was coming, there was no time to duck...

* * *

Author's Note:

Anna: MWHAHAHAHA!!

Inuyasha: Ok the wench has lost it..

Kagome: Inuyasha! Be nice.

Anna: Reviews are fuel!!


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